Methods and apparatus for monitoring a plurality of worksites

Abstract

Embodiments provide methods for monitoring a plurality of worksites at a facility, the methods including transporting a central monitoring station package to the facility, seating a transport container, stationing worksite monitoring equipment packages at the worksites, connecting communication links from the worksite monitoring equipment packages to central monitoring station equipment, transmitting remote transmissions from worksite monitoring equipment packages to central monitoring station equipment, displaying worksite monitoring information for a monitoring technician, and responding when remote monitoring information received from a worksite meets a response threshold criteria.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for monitoring information from a plurality of remote worksites spaced apart at an offshore facility, said apparatus comprising:
 a transport container configured for transport aboard a marine vessel in a seated orientation in a closed condition, the transport container configured to be offloaded by hoist from the marine vessel to an offshore facility, the transport container having a set of fixed container sides that cooperate to define an interior space, the transport container in a seated orientation having at least one entry portal defined by the set of fixed container sides to permit ingress by a person, the transport container having at least one door selectively movable to an open position from a closed position relative to the entry portal, the at least one door in the closed position cooperating with the set of fixed container sides to enclose the interior space, the at least one door in the open position permitting ingress by a person through the entry portal into the interior space, the interior space including a waterproof interior defining a waterproof environment intermediate the set of fixed container sides, with the at least one door in the closed position the waterproof environment being defined apart from an external environment located outside the transport container, in the closed position the at least one door cooperating with the set of fixed container sides to enclose the waterproof interior, the central monitoring station package including central monitoring station equipment housed in the transport container, the central monitoring station equipment including a plurality of electronic components housed in the waterproof interior, the waterproof interior defining a central monitoring station space, the at least one door in the open position permitting ingress by a person through the entry portal into the central monitoring station space from the external environment. 
 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 a plurality of portable worksite monitoring equipment packages at the offshore facility to be stationed at respective of the plurality of remote worksites, the plurality of portable worksite monitoring equipment packages being configured for communication with the central monitoring station equipment, the transport container in the closed condition being configured to contain the plurality of portable worksite monitoring equipment packages during transport aboard the marine vessel to the offshore facility. 
 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 the central monitoring station space configured to be occupied by the monitoring technician with the at least one door in the closed position for monitoring the plurality of electronic components in the waterproof environment. 
 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each of the worksite monitoring equipment packages including at least one remote monitoring sensor, the at least one remote monitoring sensor being operable to collect remote monitoring information at respective of the plurality of remote worksites, the at least one remote monitoring sensor including at least the following:
 a camera suitable to provide thermal image data of a worksite, 
 a camera suitable to provide visual image data of a worksite, and 
 a gas detection instrument suitable to provide gas detection data of a worksite. 
 
 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to  claim 4  and further comprising:
 a plurality of communication links suitable to connect each remote monitoring sensor and the central monitoring station equipment, each communication link being suitable to transmit remote transmissions from a respective remote monitoring sensor to the central monitoring station equipment, the remote transmissions conveying the remote monitoring information, at least one communication link including a wireless receiver connected to the central monitoring station equipment to receive wireless transmissions on a near real-time basis from at least one wireless transmitter connected to a respective one of the worksite monitoring equipment packages. 
 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to  claim 5  and further comprising:
 wherein the central monitoring station equipment is operable to display the remote monitoring information received in the remote transmissions to inform the monitoring technician of same. 
 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package including at least one remote monitoring sensor selected from the following:
 a camera suitable to provide thermal image data of a worksite; 
 a camera suitable to provide visual image data of a worksite; 
 a gas detection instrument suitable to provide gas detection data of a worksite; 
 an environmental microphone suitable to provide audio data of a worksite; 
 a manual alarm button suitable to provide manual alarm data of a worksite; and 
 a voice communications microphone associated with a worker located at a worksite and suitable to transmit voice communications from the worker. 
 
 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package including at least one worksite conditioning apparatus. 
 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package including at least one worksite conditioning apparatus selected from the following:
 a light suitable to illuminate at least a portion of the worksite; and 
 a ventilation device suitable to improve ventilation of the worksite. 
 
 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package complying with at least one product safety standard applied to enable safe operation in an environment containing potentially flammable materials. 
 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package complying with at least one product safety standard at least as restrictive as a Class I, Division II device classification in order to enable safe operation in an environment containing potentially flammable materials in a gas phase. 
 
     
     
       12. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 at least one communications link including a cable bundle extending from the central monitoring station equipment to at least one of the worksite monitoring equipment packages. 
 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 at least one communications link including a wireless receiver connected to the central monitoring station equipment to receive wireless transmissions from at least one wireless transmitter connected to a respective one of the worksite monitoring equipment packages. 
 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 the at least one communications link including a wireless receiver connected to the central monitoring station equipment in immediate proximity thereto, the at least one communications link including at least one wireless transmitter connected to a respective one of the worksite monitoring equipment packages, the at least one communications link including at least one intermediate signal relay, the at least one intermediate signal relay being located at a relay location intermediate the wireless receiver and the at least one wireless transmitter to relay wireless transmissions from the at least one wireless transmitter to the wireless receiver. 
 
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to  claim 14  and further comprising:
 the at least one intermediate signal relay including an antenna mounted on a base, the base having a magnet suitable to be temporarily affixed to a metallic structure to support the antenna at the relay location. 
 
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package including apparatus at least meeting the specifications of a Class I Division II device suitable for operation in an environment including potentially flammable vapors. 
 
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising:
 each worksite monitoring equipment package including prepositioned rescue equipment.